Category: Advice

Did you ever try out a Jiu-Jitsu class and were immediately thrown to the wolves?

There are different types of BJJ academy and different types of BJJ instructors. Some are lackadaisical in approach while others have a curriculum and a system in place to advance students.

Often times the new student join the former type of academy and has a horrible experience which turns them away from the art forever. The lucky students are those who enter an academy with a proven regiment.

I am not saying that you need to join a “Gracie Jiu-Jitsu” academy, but you should try out more than one academy before committing.

You should be looking for an instructor that cares about you personally and is willing to help and assist you along your journey.

Our art is too beautiful to miss out on because of a single, solitary bad experience.

Cauliflower ear, also known as perichondrial hematoma or wrestler’s ear, is a deformity of the ear caused by trauma. Cauliflower ear occurs when blood pools in your pinna after it’s been hit or struck. The pinna is your outer ear. This pooling of blood, known as a hematoma, needs to be treated right away.

If the hematoma is not treated permanent hard tissue scarring occurs.

Unfortunately cauliflower ear is highly prevalent in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well as wrestling.

Typically one wold get hit in the ear and develop the hematoma. They would go to a doctor or a teammate with a syringe, and have them suck out the blood. After that the ear is stitched up. The wound needs to have pressure constantly applied or it will fill back up again rendering the surgery useless. At least two weeks will be needed off of the mats.

Headgear is surely one way of preventing cauliflower but it does not work 100 percent of the time!

If you truly want a unique and affordable way to prevent cauliflower ear, you need to check out www.Earsplintz.com. (This product is not worn during training. It is only to be work after training has concluded.)

PROUDLY USED BY US OLYMPIC WRESTLING TEAM

“I think it’s a phenomenal product for the general public to be able to use… It comes with very detailed directions, very easy to follow directions. Being able to apply that in the youth setting really allows the athletes to keep the shape of their ear better. Especially if they’re not interested in wearing headgear.” – Corey James

They sent me some to try out and I could not wait to dive in. As I explain in my video I just competed this past Saturday at a Newbreed Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Maryland. The first thing my opponent did was slap the side of my head and ear. It isn’t puffed out but it has been sore for 2 days.

The earsplintz arrived in a really cool zippering hard case. Inside was everything you need to craft your splintz. If you can do a boil and bite mouthguard you can easily make these.

You simply follow the instructions which are simple!

Mix one scoop of each container together, rub it around like putty or dough until it becomes all one color.

You then take putty and rub it in your hands until you get a 3 – 4 inch rope.

You squish that into the mold to about half way up the wall.

Next you take 1 and a half scoops of each container and rub together as you did the first. This time you will squish that ball into the inside of your ear creating that impression.

Next you clamp the molds in and put on the supplied headband and wait five minutes. Then voila! Your earsplintz are ready to go.

They immediately began making my ear feel better even during the molding process. If you’ve ever had sore ears from grappling you can imagine how good these would feel applying gentle pressure. For added effect you can freeze them! Oh the joy is overwhelming!

The aftermath

So these cost about $140 on Amazon and $120 through www.earsplintz.com. If you use code WBBJJ you will get an additional $10 off bringing it down to about $110. This is way cheaper than surgery and way cooler than wearing headgear for Jiu-Jitsu!

There is enough material in the containers to make at least 3 molds. You can keep one in your bag, one in your car and one in the freezer!

Beautiful product. Ugly ears. But they won’t get any worse!

The company is partnered with USA wrestling and has been in business for about a decade.

I have reviewed plenty of products for Jiu-Jitsu but this item has been the biggest blessing thus far!

In this video I talk about the 5 top reasons I started BJJ. I’m now a purple belt, and love the art. Hopefully if you’re on the fence, this video will encourage you to take the leap and give it a shot!

In Episode Seven of “A Complete Lack of Technique”, BJJ Black Belt Chris “Vilão” Paines talks about how to apply training ideas from combat sports into BJJ training, as a way of drilling the concepts talked about in previous episodes, but also how to approach older techniques.

There are many people out there who wish they could start something new. They want to become more active. They have heard about how rewarding and fun Jiu-Jitsu is but they just don’t have the time to invest to become good.

To those people I would ask, “Are you sure though?”

You can get good at Jiu-Jitsu by going two days per week for one hour each session. That’s a total of 2 hours per week!

Now to those people I would ask how much time they waste on social media per week. I would ask how much TV or internet consumption is done per week.

People have a lot more time than they think, or like to admit to themselves.

Just start going. Go one day per week, then two. The bug will eventually bite you. It happens to us all.